A three-year-old boy has become the youngest known suspect in a British criminal inquiry after he was investigated by police over alleged disorder and vandalism.

20 Sep 2009

Officers from Strathclyde police visited the toddler’s home this summer after receiving a complaint of damage to household property.

The youngster is one of 10 children aged five and under who have been investigated since May for a variety of alleged crimes, including sexual offences.

The youngest offender in England and Wales was a six-year-old arrested in Bedfordshire on suspicion of robbery in June. .

Details of the suspects’ cases were disclosed in documents obtained under freedom of information laws, and have caused concern among crime campaigners, who believe they demonstrate further evidence of Britain’s deepening social problems.

Chris Grayling, the shadow home secretary, said: “This is a clear manifestation of the first signs of offending.

“These instances underline the very deep social problems we have in some parts of the country. It is part of the very complex picture we call broken Britain.”

None of the children referred to can be prosecuted or held in custody because they are below the age of criminal responsibility.

In England and Wales, the age of criminal responsibility is 10, while in Scotland, where the three-year-old was investigated, the age is eight – the lowest in Europe.

Figures disclosed this month show that more than 6,000 offences have been committed in Britain by children under 10 over the past three years.

These include nine-year-olds accused of rape and eight-year-olds believed to have caused grievous bodily harm. Other alleged offences included possession of knives, assaults, theft and burglaries.

Esther Rantzen, the children’s campaigner and broadcaster, has called for the introduction of a new charge of criminal neglect, which could be used to prosecute the parents of very young children who commit serious offences.

She said: “When you hear cases like this it makes you wonder what is going on in family life. You have to ask yourself why.”

The figures come just weeks after two boys aged 12 and 10 admitted torturing two other boys in an attack in Edlington near Doncaster, likened to the murder of James Bulger.

Three other young boys, aged 12 and under, were arrested last week on suspicion of committing a sex attack on two young boys, which has drawn comparisons to the Edlington case.

Sadly the Politically Correct brigade are to blame for the lack of discipline, respect and falling standards of education, imo.

Spare the rod and spoil the child is a very true statement. Knowing they cannot be chastised for even the most gross of actions without infringing their rights gives today's children a powerful hold over their; parents, teachers, guardians or anyone trying to exercise authority over them.

I'm not advocating regular beatings, poking with cattle prods or water-boarding but, if repercussions for overstepping the mark or disrespect aren't allowed when they are young, many children will never know or care if and when they are infringing the rights of others.